First lady’s attire altered, sleeveless arms blurred on State TV

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TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian state media has run altered images of US first lady Michelle Obama’s Oscars appearance, making her gown look less revealing.

The first lady wore a sleeveless, scoop neck gown. The semi-official Fars news agency ran an altered photo that covered her shoulders and neckline with added material. State TV showed images that blurred the parts of her body that were exposed.

Under Iran’s Islamic dress code, women are required to cover their bodies in public. Films showing foreign women without a headscarf are considered acceptable, but revealing clothes are forbidden.

First lady Michelle Obama, appearing via video link, and actor Jack Nicholson present the award for best picture during the Oscars ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. As seen in the bottom photo, the first lady wore a sleeveless, scoop neck gown for the occasion. The photo on top is an altered version that Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency ran on their website. (photo credit: AP/Invision [below], Fars [above])

For the Oscars ceremony, Michelle Obama at the White House joined Jack Nicholson via video link to help present the best picture prize for “Argo,” a film based on the escape of six American hostages from the besieged US Embassy in Tehran in 1979.

Fars said the first lady’s announcement suggested that the film was made with US government support. Iranian officials have dismissed “Argo” as a CIA commercial.